A TRAVEL COMPANION THROUGH STORMS!

Verse for Today:Friday, March 11, 2011Matthew 8:24 –Without warning a furious storm came upon the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.

Storms often take even the best climatologists by surprise. They come unannounced and take their toll over everything. Storms in life also take the same course and beat us when we least expect it. But even if we think we are able to predict it, we are not able to do much to avoid the devastation brought in by storms. There are storms even when Jesus is travelling with us and when He is in our boat. They beat with ferocity and power and come in unexplainable speed. But even in such storms, the creator is able to find quiet rest and peace. Storms make the waves become insurmountable and can sweep over a small boat with a few people in no time. This can create fear and anxiety to any one who is in a vast lake or sea of life. But our Lord Jesus Christ sets us the best example in the midst of storms. If He can sleep, we can also sleep in the storms of life. If He is asleep, we can sleep with Him and trust the Father in Heaven to handle the ferocity of the most powerful storms in life. There are economic, health, relationship or family storms. But even though we do not know that storms are coming, our Lord knows that storms will hit us. He takes us through the storms and brings us out without getting hurt. He will protect us and keep us calm in the storms of life. His hands of mercy will be upon us as we go through storms and take us to the other side of the lake of life. When we go through storms, He travels with us to ensure that we do not become fearful. His purpose in allowing is to go through storms of life is to build our life of faith up and make us strong in our trust in Him. He also wants us not to be afraid. He calms the storms of life, but also calms our stormy hearts so that even when there is a raging storm outside, our hearts will be at peace with the Lord. He wants us to follow His example of sleeping in the will of God while the His presence becomes our stronghold and tower of refuge.

Dear friend, are you facing an unexpected storm in your life today? It might be a big surprise for you to face storm when you follow Jesus. But our Lord builds our spiritual life up by allowing us to go through the storms of life. Storms and the way we face it strengthens our life of faith and trust in the Lord and His promises. So when you are faced with a storm, there is nothing unusual about it. It is our training ground in the school of faith. The Lord teaches us to trust Him no matter how fierce the circumstances are. But we need to know that He travels with us all the way and His presence is with us no matter what kind of storm tries to batter and sift us up. We are safe in the arms of Jesus as we travel through the eye of a storm because we can hold on to Him for greater confidence. Each promise given to us is for us to hold firm in times of tests and trials. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He is more concerned about the storms in our hearts which control our behavior to tempt to even find fault with the Lord. He wants to first rebuke the storm of fear in our hearts so that we would be able to face the outside storms boldly. But unless we are willing to trust the Lord, the storms of life will continue to take its toll on us. The Lord can control all the elements in His creation, but we need to be willing for Him to control our emotions, for which we need to surrender ourselves and our will to Him on a continuous basis. It is not enough that we have decided to follow Him, but we must allow Him absolute control of all that we are and have. Today let us allow the Lord to take complete control of all our emotions and will so that we will have full trust in Him for all that we go through in our lives. Then we will marvel at what the Lord can do in our lives to weather the storms of life.

Psalms 107:29 –He caused the storm to be still, so that the waves of the sea were hushed.

Thought for TodayTravelling through the storms of life with Jesus is much better than travelling alone even when there is no storm.